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    Ticino

    Switzerland

    Ticino

    Region

    Ticino, south of the Gotthard, is Switzerland's Italian-speaking canton. Here lie Lugano on Lake Lugano and Locarno on Lake Maggiore; Switzerland shares both lakes with Italy.

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    Ticino, south of the Gotthard, is Switzerland's Italian-speaking canton. Here lie Lugano on Lake Lugano and Locarno on Lake Maggiore; Switzerland shares both lakes with Italy.Palm trees along the lakeside promenades, stone villages in the valleys, and panoramic mountains like Monte San Salvatore define the region. You can reach it from Zurich by train through the Gotthard.
    Ticino is the Italian-speaking canton south of the Gotthard. Lugano, on Lake Lugano, is the most populous city, while Locarno lies on the northern shore of Lake Maggiore, home to Switzerland's lowest point. Switzerland shares both lakes with Italy. From Locarno, you can explore valleys like the Verzasca Valley or the Maggia Valley, and boats connect the towns along the lakes. You'll find travel most pleasant from April to October.

    More places in Ticino

    Lugano

    Lugano

    Lugano is located in Ticino on Lake Lugano near the Italian border, framed by its local mountains Monte Brè and Monte San Salvatore. Italian language, lakeside promenades with palm trees, and panoramic mountains directly above the city define the stay.On the shore lies Parco Ciani with the neoclassical Villa Ciani, and further along the promenade, the 2015 LAC cultural center with its concert hall and the MASI art museum. In the old town stands the Cathedral of San Lorenzo with its Renaissance facade. A funicular ascends the 912-meter-high Monte San Salvatore from the Paradiso district, and another to Monte Brè from Cassarate. The village of Gandria lies on the lakeshore east of the city.

    Sights in Ticino

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Ponte dei Salti
    Historic Landmark

    Ponte dei Salti

    The double-arch stone bridge near Lavertezzo in the Verzasca Valley spans the clear waters of the Verzasca. It is the valley's most famous photo motif.
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    Madonna del Sasso
    Church

    Madonna del Sasso

    The pilgrimage church on a rocky outcrop above Locarno was built from 1480 after a Marian apparition. A funicular runs up from the town. From the top, you overlook Lago Maggiore.
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    Castelgrande
    Museum

    Castelgrande

    The oldest and largest of Bellinzona's three castles rises in the heart of the old town, with a lift at Piazza del Sole leading up. Together with Montebello, Sasso Corbaro, and the Murata city wall, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000.
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    Food & Drink in Ticino

    Polenta

    Polenta, often slow-cooked in a copper pot and served with braised meat, mushrooms, or cheese.

    Merlot del Ticino

    Merlot is Ticino's most important grape variety and is made into red and white wine.

    Marrons

    In autumn, chestnuts are roasted everywhere, and they also go into cakes, bread, and Vermicelles.

    Culture in Ticino

    Ticino is the Italian-speaking canton of Switzerland, and you feel it everywhere: in its Piazze, its frescoed churches, and its lifestyle. Bellinzona's three castles have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000.Locarno Film FestivalEvery August, the Locarno Film Festival screens films in the evenings on a giant screen in the Piazza Grande, open-air to thousands of spectators.GrottiThese simple eateries in the woods or on hillsides were once rock cellars for cooling wine and cheese. Today, you can enjoy regional dishes at stone tables there.

    On the Road in Ticino

    With the Gotthard and Ceneri Base Tunnels, you're in Lugano from Zurich by train in just over two hours. Regional trains connect Bellinzona, Locarno, Lugano, and Mendrisio. Scheduled boats operate on Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano. You can reach valleys like the Verzasca Valley or the Maggia Valley by PostBuses.

    Round trips through this region

    Grand Rail Tour: Lakes, Passes, and Glaciers

    This round trip connects Switzerland's most famous destinations almost exclusively by train, bus, and boat. From Zurich, it's to Lake Lucerne and Lucerne, and through the Gotthard to Italian-speaking Lugano. With the Bernina Express Bus, you travel over Lake Como to Tirano, and from there on the Bernina Express over the Berninapass to Upper Engadine and St. Moritz. The Glacier Express takes you in approximately eight hours over 291 bridges and through 91 tunnels to Zermatt, beneath the Matterhorn. Via Valais, you reach the Bernese Oberland with Jungfraujoch and Lauterbrunnen Valley, before the journey ends in the federal city of Bern.

    14 Days
    7 stops

    Nearby

    Lugano

    Lugano

    Lugano is located in Ticino on Lake Lugano near the Italian border, framed by its local mountains Monte Brè and Monte San Salvatore. Italian language, lakeside promenades with palm trees, and panoramic mountains directly above the city define the stay.On the shore lies Parco Ciani with the neoclassical Villa Ciani, and further along the promenade, the 2015 LAC cultural center with its concert hall and the MASI art museum. In the old town stands the Cathedral of San Lorenzo with its Renaissance facade. A funicular ascends the 912-meter-high Monte San Salvatore from the Paradiso district, and another to Monte Brè from Cassarate. The village of Gandria lies on the lakeshore east of the city.
    Gandria

    Gandria

    The former fishing village clings to Monte Brè's slope directly above Lake Lugano, now part of Lugano. Stairs and narrow alleyways connect the houses; lakeside restaurants line the water. Reach Gandria by ferry or on foot via the Olive Trail.
    Lake Como

    Lake Como

    Lake Como, shaped like an inverted Y, is one of the most striking pre-Alpine lakes and, at over 400 metres, one of Europe's deepest. Steep, wooded shores, terraced-garden villas and villages like Bellagio, Varenna, Tremezzo set the scene.
    Bellagio

    Bellagio

    Bellagio is located at the tip of the peninsula, where Lake Como divides into the arms of Como and Lecco. Staircase alleys lead from the shore up to the small old town; south and above the village lie the parks of Villas Melzi and Serbelloni.
    Stresa

    Stresa

    Stresa is located on the western shore of Lake Maggiore, on the Borromean Gulf opposite the Borromean Islands. The town has just under 4700 inhabitants, and three of the islands (Isola Bella, Isola Madre, and Isola dei Pescatori) belong to the municipality. Stresa is the main starting point for boat trips to the islands.